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Export to CMS and LCM

Copy BusinessObjects content from one environment to another, directly or as an LCM promotion job, save it to a file or BIAR, and bulk-edit schedule destinations.

License and permission

Command MMA permission needed
Export to... Export on the source environment, Import on the target environment
Save > Save as File... Save As File
Save > Save as BIAR Backup... Save As BIAR Backup
Modify > Schedule Destinations... Modify File Destination

With a Basic Edition license, export and save work on one object at a time. See Editions and Licensing and Permissions Reference.

How it works

Export to... reads the selected objects from the source environment and writes them to the target environment through the MetaMiner Server. You choose between two transport modes:

Mode How it runs Where to follow up
Direct export (Use promotion unticked) BIAR export from the source and import into the target, in one step Results dialog in the client
Use promotion An LCM (Promotion Management) job is created and run The job is also visible in CMC > Promotion Management

Some content can only move by promotion. MetaMiner ticks Use promotion and locks it when the selection contains a .unx universe (both environments BI 4.x), a publication, a QaaWS query, or a connection. On the second page it also auto-selects promotion for universes and shows Promotion Auto-selected.

Tip

Promote QaaWS, publications, connections and universes separately from BI content (Web Intelligence, Crystal, documents, instances, folders, users, groups).

flowchart LR
  S[(Source CMS)] -->|read| MMS[MetaMiner Server]
  MMS -->|direct import or LCM job| T[(Target CMS)]
  MMC[MetaMiner Client] -->|Export to... wizard| MMS

Before you begin

  • Load both environments in the Connection Manager. The target must be a BusinessObjects environment enabled on the same MetaMiner Server.
  • The target cannot have a lower major version than the source. Exporting to a lower minor version is allowed but shows a warning.
  • The service accounts of both environments need rights to read the source content and to create objects in the target folders.

Export objects to another environment

  1. In the CMS Explorer (or the Users tab, for users and groups), select the objects.
  2. Right-click and choose Export to.... The Export to CMS wizard opens.
  3. On the first page, select the target environment in the table.

  4. Set the options:

    Option Effect
    Use promotion Run as an LCM job instead of a direct export. Locked on for content that needs promotion.
    Include security Carry the object security to the target.

  5. Click Next. The second page shows each object with its state in the target: Exists, No match, or Present in target environment, with Last Action On and Last Action By. Objects are matched by CUID or by path name.

  6. Choose what to export. The selection menu offers Select new items only, Select existing items only, Newer in source and Newer in target.

  7. Set the import options:

    Option Effect
    Show dependencies Add the dependencies of the selected objects (universes, connections) to the list.
    Include Application Security Carry application security settings.
    Fail on Any Error Stop the whole import on the first error instead of exporting what it can.
    Auto refresh Status Re-read the target state so the Exists column is current.
    Orphan handling mode Throw: stop if an orphaned object is found. Drop: skip orphans. None: import orphans in an error state; they do not commit until they get a parent.

  8. Click Finish to run and watch progress, or Run in Background to keep working.

Image of the Export to CMS wizard first page with a target environment selected and Use promotion ticked

../../images/client/export-to-cms-page1.png

Image of the Export to CMS wizard second page showing Exists and No match states

../../images/client/export-to-cms-page2.png

Run in Background

In background mode the client does not show interactive error messages. Check the result in the task history and, for promotions, in CMC > Promotion Management.

Verify

  • The result shows SUCCESS, Partial success or FAILED, with a summary of Objects Selected and Objects Promoted.
  • Press F5 to reload; the objects appear in the target environment tree.

Save objects to disk

The Save submenu writes content to a file on the computer that runs the MetaMiner Client.

Command Result Options
Save as File... The document files (for example .wid, .rpt) in a folder you choose Select actual documents, not only a folder
Save as BIAR Backup... One BIAR file you can import with LCM or with Import from BIAR in the Backup and Restore tab Include security

All selected objects must come from the same environment.

Image of the Save As BIAR Backup Options dialog

../../images/client/save-as-biar-options.png

Bulk-edit schedule destinations

Modify > Schedule Destinations... opens Modify Schedule Destinations, a grid of the destinations configured on the selected scheduled objects.

  1. Select the objects (folders, documents or recurring instances) and choose Modify > Schedule Destinations....
  2. Pick the destination Type: Disk, Email, FTP or SFTP. Use Search to filter rows by any column.
  3. Each field shows a (current) and a (new) column. Right-click a cell and choose Modify Value..., then pick the scope:
    • Apply to all rows in this view
    • Apply to all rows with same current value
    • Apply to all rows across all columns with same current value
    • For address lists: Replace this address everywhere it appears
  4. The footer counts the rows pending. Click Save Changes and confirm.

Directory rules enforced on save:

Type Rule
Disk Not empty, not . or .., no leading ./ .\ ../ ..\, no /./ or /../ segments
FTP / SFTP Empty becomes . (current directory); same rules for leading and embedded dot segments

Destinations that use the BusinessObjects system default settings cannot be changed here; Save skips them and tells you how many.

Image of the Modify Schedule Destinations dialog with Type Disk and two rows pending

../../images/client/schedule-destinations-dialog.png

TODO: list exactly which object kinds Schedule Destinations accepts

Confirm whether folders are expanded to their scheduled documents or only directly selected objects with schedules are listed.

Troubleshooting

Export to... says No Export Target Found

Only one BusinessObjects environment is loaded, or your role lacks Import on the others. Enable another environment in the Connection Manager.

The wizard refuses the target version

The message Can not export to an environment with a lower major version! is a BI platform restriction. Choose a target of the same or a higher major version.

Your MetaMiner license does not allow you to perform this action on more than one object

Basic Edition limit. Select one object, or contact Infolytik about your edition.

Next steps